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« Big Love
June 11, 2007: Hell in a Handbasket
In TV time, it has been six weeks since the family’s comeuppance at the mother-of-the-year ceremony, and things are still completely out of alignment in the Henrickson household. Barb, still “humbled” by the guilt and shame she has brought on the family, has fled the scene, resentful of Bill’s domineering approach to problem-solving. Nicki, both enticed and terrified by the possibility of taking over as first wife, tries to appease and scheme her way into the post, bullying Margene all along the way. And the kids are just trying to live their lives the best way they can in the shadow of their family’s secret.
No matter what you think about polygamy — as a way of life or as a premise for a television drama — you can’t argue with the caliber of acting on display here in HBO’s latest twist on the nuclear family. Bill Paxton is incredibly effective as a man who is torn between his heart, his faith and his obligations. At times, I am confounded as to how the man is able to shuttle from one crisis to the next without having a complete and total meltdown. Jeanne Tripplehorn offers a nuanced portrait of a woman so in love with her husband that she is able to embrace even the most unimaginable lifestyle and make it her own. Chloe Sevigny is one of the few actresses who is able to arouse sympathy and disgust at the same time, and Ginnifer Goodwin is absolutely believable as a naive and needy child bride.
The supporting players are also amazingly well cast. As the creepy, malevolent Roman Grant, Harry Dean Stanton has banished all of my fond memories of the forlorn, lovable Pretty in Pink dad. Mary Kay Place, once the saracastic, sperm-donor-seeking gal pal in The Big Chill is now an altogether chillier sort of mommy, barely able to muster even a small amount of compassion for her misguided daughter. But my favorite of the bunch is Grace Zabriskie as Lois Henrickson, Bill’s slightly off-kilter but wily mother. Her facial expressions and reactions alone are worth the price of admission.
I’m curious to see where this season takes us. The stresses of juggling three demanding wives is difficult enough, but when you add in a growing roster of kids, a somewhat hapless business partner, an emotionally vulnerable brother, a borderline sister-in-law, and that scary Roman, I’m not sure how Bill is going to make it through. Thankfully, at least for this week, Barb came through and showed up for the wacky dinner with the neighbors in order to throw off them off the scent. Bill was right when he said that she is the one who shines. Here’s hoping that she regains her confidence quickly and helps Bill navigate the murky waters to come.
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Jun 11, 2007 10:08 PM
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I missed tonight's episode and don't have HBO is there a way I can watch the episode online?  "> Did they discuss the sons girlfriend being pregnant this episode or who told on Barb at the Mother of the Year award ceremony? "> Missed this show and glad is back for another season. I agreed with you on everything the acting on this show is wonderful worthy of an Emmy for each role.Wonder how ratings will do now that its on Mondays instead of Sundays?
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Jun 12, 2007 12:03 AM
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GAH! I missed it... gonna have to catch it on repeat (or one of the other HBO channels this week).
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Jun 12, 2007 8:12 AM
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It was an OK episode. Was it Albie who scared the accountant into wrecking her car in the store parking lot. Kind of a "last year recap" by TV Guide here - what's up with that?
Our sound was off for the first 17 minutes - someone at HBO must have tripped over the audio cord. The HBO blog had all but one or two people that were also without sound, so it sounded like something country-wide. Nice touch, HBO - carry over from the Soprano's repeat?
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Jun 12, 2007 8:36 AM
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Thanks for choosing to do a blog for this show Trish, I can't remember if there was one last year.
harris4, other than the actual HBO channels and HBO On Demand, I have no clue how you would be able to watch the show, but, I wish there was another way for you.
Ben got his girlfriend pregnant?! I don't even remember that, I guess it's been too long.
WWFan, that sucks about the sound, but, thanks for posing the question about Albie and the accountant. I think you just answered the following question and I almost didn't even realize it. My question was going to be did anyone know what the heck Nicki's mom was talking about when she said "are you asking me what I think you're asking?", but, now I get it. Apparently, Nicki was asking for somebody else to teach the accountant a lesson since she couldn't do it herself, I have to admit that one went right over my head.
The timing sucks though (as always) because now she's going to think it was Bill and his partner. Every time I start to feel a slither of empathy towards Nicki she reminds me why I can't stand her.
How sweet was Margene's "I don't know if I can be married to Bill and Nicki if I'm not married to you too". I felt really bad for her and that comment made me realize that I was looking at their relationship all wrong in the first season. Bill isn't just married to Barb with two additional wives, they're all married to each other and Margene made me realize that last night.
For the life of me, with everything that went on last year I honestly don't understand why Roman was not the prime suspect in the Mother of the Year debacle. I know that they think he didn't even know about the thing, but, come on the man knows everything! Not to mention that he had his snitch wife (to be?) staying at their house which is how he found out anyway. I can't believe they're that gullible.
Spoiler Alert, comment coming about next week's previews...
I don't usually comment on previews, but, I can't believe that Joey (Bill's brother) is going to be in cahoots with Roman. I'm hoping that he has something up his sleeve, but, they haven't portrayed Joey as being that bright to come up with a scheme on his own so this is worrying. He already can't trust Nicki (though he somehow doesn't know this) and now he can't even trust his own brother. He just needs to cut all ties with anyone that falls under the rule of Roman. I wouldn't be suprised if his mother is pressured, gives in and decides to sell him down the river as well.
Spoiler Done
Wow, I didn't know I had so much to say. Sorry for the lengthy post.
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Jun 12, 2007 10:33 AM
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Call me wrong, but I didn't feel that Bill Paxton's portrayal was at all effective. I can't muster empathy for his character or even respect for his acting in this episode. Strangely, last season this was not a problem.
I felt that this was a very weak episode, and I hope to see more of the Big Love that I fell in love with in the coming weeks.
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Jun 12, 2007 11:31 AM
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Trish, didn't it say at the beginning of the episode that it had been two weeks since the Mother-of-the-Year debacle, not six?
I was underwhelmed with this episode as well. Last year I loved Jeanne Triplehorn (Barb) but didn't love her last night. And I hate Nicki, but I suppose we always need an antagonist to make things interesting.
I don't recall Ben's girlfriend being pregnant either....but isn't Nicki pregnant? I didn't catch any mention of her pregnancy last night.
My sound was fine, it must not have been a nationwide problem.
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Jun 12, 2007 1:01 PM
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From what I remember, Nicki wasn't really pregnant when she told Bill that. Now, this is where it gets fuzzy...did she do that because of Barb and Bill's "affair" or did she do that because Margene was expressing interest in having another baby? I don't think it was the latter, but, I can't recall 100%. Or was that her way of preventing Bill from kicking her out of the family after the whole credit card thing? (I had forgot all about that until just now).
Anyhoo, she was then on a mission to get pregnant for real (dumping her birth control pills (?), switching nights with the other wives whenever she could, etc.), but, it was towards the very end of the season and she was not successful by the time it ended. If this really is just two weeks later it's bound to come up. Thanks for mentioning that.
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Jun 12, 2007 1:17 PM
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He already can't trust Nicki (though he somehow doesn't know this)
blueree What gives you that idea. I think Nicki can be trusted, why would she side with her father and go back to the Creek and get reassigned to a much older man. She fought hard to get Barb to come back. She''s got a good thing going. Plus, she knows Bill better than Barb does. Last night's episode proved it to me, when Nicki said to Bard, he's gonna do this with or without you, and she was right. Barb only relized it when Bill admitted to her that he used her love. She had a thought that he might leave this life they are leading and going back to the way they were.
I think Bill always had a desire to live the principle, but didn't act on it. When Barb got sick with cancer, he relized life was to short and decided to follow the path he thinks is right for him, is right with God. In a way, because Nicki and Bill come from the same place and had the same upbringing, Nicki has a better radar in a sense. I don't think she will betray her family.
In fact spolier here...
I hear she gets disowned by her father and banned from ever coming back.
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Jun 12, 2007 1:33 PM
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Actually, Margene is the one who is pregnant. Nicki was the one who said she WANTED to have another baby, but continued to take her birth control pills. 
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Jun 12, 2007 1:41 PM
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Hi ladyofthelake, I'm not basing my opinion of Nicki on Monday's premiere, it's based on a full season's worth of shows. 
In my opinion she is a selfish person and has shown herself to be untrustworthy numerous times. I would have to rewatch the entire first season to give you more details, but, Bill wouldn't have been in some of the predicaments he was in last year had it not been for Nicki. Particularly when she once again involved Roman in their lives by having to ask Roman for help because she could not control her impulse shopping (with credit cards that Bill didn't even know she had). I can't recall how many times last season I heard someone say or reference that what goes on in their family should stay in their family (or maybe it was just me out loud to myself)
Nicki did have a good point when she told Barb that Bill was going to do this with or without her, but, I don't think that this was really news to Barb and I definitely don't think that Nicki knows Bill any better than Barb. Barb and Bill were married for 12 (?) years before Nicki even came into the picture, but, with that said although they were together that long alone I also don't think that Barb would have honestly thought that Bill would leave everyone else in the family just for her. I don't know what she was trying to accomplish or maybe she just needed some space.
Another thing I always have to remind myself of is that Nicki was given to Bill to solidify that Bill would always be under Roman's thumb (once again, in my opinion). I don't doubt that he eventually fell and love with her or grew to love her, but, it's not the same to me. He didn't pick her so to speak. He "picked" Barb and Margene on his own. Bill was out of that life for so long that I also don't think that he and Nicki are any closer because they come from the same place. If I'm not mistaken Bill was told to leave the camp when he was a teenager. It's almost as if Roman knew Bill was only finally acting on his desire to live the principle because Barb was sick so for him it was like "oh, you're ready to join the rest of us and you want to add a wife to your family so here you go, here's my daughter". The family already knew her because she was helping Barb when she was sick so it seemed to work out for everybody.
Although we have our differing opinions of Nicki, it's good to finally meet someone that actually likes her. Who knows, if we continue conversing on the weekly blogs you might even help me eventually look at her in a different light.
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Jun 12, 2007 2:13 PM
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silkycognac, thank you for correcting me!
Wow, Margene's pregnant? That's another thing I don't remember. I know that Barb said that last night and Bill shot her a look, but, I thought she was just saying that.
I think I need to watch the first season again or at least the back half. I hope it's still on demand.
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Jun 12, 2007 2:18 PM
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I'm glad I had a chance to catch up on the first season beforehand. And watching a second time, I felt less harsh towards Nicki. She grew up with 17 brothers (including Alby)and knew what plural wives have to do to survive and keep in the good graces of the patriarch. But she also has experienced courtesy and sistership from Barb and Margene. She's a character in conflict. Nicki wants to believe there is a happy ever after but has had those hopes smashed by the Juniper Creek compound throughout her childhood. Monday's Season 2 opener gave us a chance to get caught up on the fall out from Roman's (yes, Roman's) call to the governor's office. Is Wendy going to be an ally? She's in conflict. She admires Bill and his family but he is a polygamist. Any good is cancelled by his choice of living the Principle. I think she's just as much a wild card as Roman. Will Bill step up and live his life without compromise or lying? I think that's going to be the big question.
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Jun 12, 2007 3:25 PM
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How important is "life in the principle" if you spend every waking hour living your life as a lie to evade scorn and prosecution. I see why Barb cannot cope--I could not live constant lie and make my children do the same.
Good show. I just started watching this season and caught a couple of reruns from last season.
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Jun 12, 2007 5:04 PM
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I also love Grace Zabriskie as Lois. When she told that woman who was preaching about Roman, and then Lois told her to shut up...I fell out laughing. I hope she gets an emmy nomination. Her facial expressions are priceless.
Niki made the sitution with the account woman(whose name I forgot) even worse.
Hey blueaee, the episodes are still on demand. The first season is still on there as well.
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Jun 12, 2007 5:11 PM
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